Dennis Cirkin will sit out Sunderland's game against Reading tomorrow with Tony Mowbray admitting the defender's recovery from concussion has taken longer than was hoped. Cirkin suffered a head injury as he scored the Black Cats' equaliser at Millwall last weekend and has had to follow the FA concussion protocols before returning to action.
He was always going to miss the midweek FA Cup replay against Fulham but, assuming his recovery went without a hitch, there was a chance he could face Reading. But Mowbray said Cirkin needed a day or two extra before he could begin stepping up his training, although he expects the 20-year-old will be fit by the time Sunderland take on QPR at Loftus Road on Tuesday.
"Dennis won't be available for this game, no," said Mowbray. "It took a day or two longer than we had hoped to get him back to having no symptoms, but he is back on the grass now and that time process has started.
